Sharjah foundation helps 803,000 people with projects worth Dh39 million

The world had faced some of the toughest challenges in 2020 as nations battled Covid-19 — compounded by tragedies like the Beirut port blasts and the devastating floods in Sudan. In the middle of it all, Sharjah’s The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) continued to extend help where it was needed the most, leading global humanitarian response as it funded 39 projects worth Dh39 million throughout the year.

Some 803,175 people in 15 countries benefitted from TBHF’s projects — up by 656,404 beneficiaries across 11 countries in 2019, according to the group’s annual report.

Amid a surging pandemic, many of TBHF’s humanitarian projects in 2020 focused on boosting healthcare capacities and sanitation facilities in refugee and internally displaced people sites around the world, while also prioritising education, infrastructure, living conditions, and providing emergency aid and relief.

Mariam Al Hammadi, director of TBHF, said the extraordinary events of 2020 are a reminder for humanitarian organisations to adopt an emergency response preparedness approach to deliver critical assistance swiftly and efficiently in cooperation with relevant entities.

She pointed out that under the directives of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of TBHF, and UNHCR Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children, the foundation continues to boost its readiness to fulfill its duties in overcoming humanitarian challenges around the world.

The focus, Al Hammadi said, is on sustainable projects designed to benefit the most vulnerable populations, including children, refugees and displaced persons.

According to the 2020 annual report, TBHF funded 12 healthcare projects worth Dh19.5 million that benefitted 714,258 individuals; and eight projects in the education sector that helped 66,657 beneficiaries at a cost of Dh4.8 million.

It launched four infrastructure projects worth Dh7.4 million; eight projects to improve the livelihood of 5,710 individuals at a cost of Dh3.9 million; and three projects worth Dh1.5 million for the protection of 912 children, refugees, and displaced people.

The Sharjah-based foundation also extended emergency relief to 10,798 beneficiaries through three projects valued at Dh1.6 million, and launched a Dh300,408 project to provide for the basic needs of 1,500 individuals.

‘Salam Beirut’ spreads hope in Lebanon

In August 2020, Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi launched an international emergency aid campaign titled ‘Salam Beirut’ to support the victims of the devastating explosions that struck Port Beirut.

Mobilised in cooperation with on-ground local partners, the humanitarian initiative focused on providing medical aid, food and water supplies as well as shelter to victims, in addition to vital services like healthcare and sanitation.

Since its launch last year, the campaign received an amount of Dh33 million in donations. From this, a sum of Dh13.7 million has been utilised for relief work carried out in 2020 including the restoration of 485 homes; reconstruction of the emergency and trauma unit of the Saint George Hospital University Medical Centre; rehabilitation of migrant workers who lost their homes and sources of livelihood; and the provision of support and psychological care for 630 boys and girls and reuniting them with their families. The remaining Dh19.3 million will be utilised for the second phase of projects to be implemented in Lebanon in 2021.

Other TBHF projects last year

>> Support Knows No Safe Distance

Sheikha Jawaher launched a fundraising campaign titled ‘Support Knows No Safe Distance’ last April to boost healthcare capacities in sites hosting refugee and internally displaced people in Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Bangladesh, and Kenya. With coordinated support from its key partners in these nations, TBHF mobilized resources and prioritized activities to support programmes in health, educational awareness, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Each organization received a sum of $100,000 to address the most pressing protection, lifesaving and integration needs of refugees and displaced populations across these five countries.

Under the campaign, TBHF also provided food supplies to families and individuals in the UAE who were affected directly or indirectly by the spread of Covid-19. Till date, TBHF has provided food supplies to 660 families and 1,400 individuals in the UAE.

>> Dh14.6 million to build and fully equip a PICU in Cairo, Egypt

Amongst the 12 healthcare projects unveiled by TBHF last year included one in Egypt where the entity supported the advancement of healthcare services specifically for children, by allocating Dh14.6 million to build and fully-equip a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the upcoming Magdi Yacoub

Global Heart Centre in Cairo. The funding will also enable the charitable children’s hospital to acquire a fleet of well-equipped ambulances. The PICU will be named in memory of the late Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, son of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. It is slated for completion in 2023 and will cater to 2,000 children annually.

>> Support for Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital in Pakistan

Another healthcare project undertaken last year included an Dh4.4 million programme to equip two operating theatres with state-of-the-art medical equipment to facilitate surgical oncology services at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Peshawar, Pakistan. The project will benefit around 2,500 cancer patients, providing them access to a wide range of high-quality surgical treatments.

The allocated sum was sourced from the Ameera Fund, a global fund run collaboratively by the Sharjah-based Friends of Cancer Patients and TBHF, under the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher.

>> Sustainable village in Niger

In line with its strategy to create a sustainable impact on communities via long-term development projects, TBHF implemented several livelihood projects in 2020 including a partnership project with Sharjah Charity House to develop an Dh2,007,559 sustainable village in Niger in West Africa.

Named after the late Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, son of the Ruler of Sharjah, the sustainable village – when completed in 2022, will comprise of 20 houses and will feature income-generation activities on the farmland through agriculture and livestock rearing. The funds will also support the construction of a school and fully equipped medical clinic and laboratory.

>> School for girls in Kenyan refugee camp

Several projects initiated by TBHF in 2020 sought to empower young girl refugees with quality education. One of these is the Dh3.7-million project to construct a girl’s boarding secondary school at the Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement in the Republic of Kenya. The fully equipped boarding school, which is expected to be ready in time for the 2021 academic year, will benefit 360 students including refugees in the settlement as well as girls from the surrounding host community.

The school is expected to fulfil students’ needs to a large extent, while offering a safe environment for refugee and host community girls facing risks such as early or forced marriage and child labour, as well as unaccompanied minors, separated children and disabled girls.

>> Emergency relief for flood victims in Sudan

Several emergency aid projects were implemented by TBHF last year as part of its sustainable humanitarian endeavours. In one such initiative, TBHF allocated Dh755,149 for two key projects implemented in Sudan to provide essential emergency assistance to thousands of internally displaced people whose homes were destroyed in the devastating floods of September 2020.

The funds were utilized for providing shelter and essential food packages to more than 8,000 people who had to flee their homes and served in building the capacity of the community and increasing their resilience to the disaster.

>> SIARA Award promotes wellbeing of refugees

The 2020 edition of Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support (SIARA 2020) expanded in scope to include entities from across the entire African continent.

In a virtual ceremony, Tumaini Letu, a non-profit organisation based at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, Africa, and founded by refugee poet and artist Trésor Nzengu Mpauni was announced as the winner of the Dh500,000 award for its flagship programme, the annual Tumaini Festival, an art and culture event that that helps promote the psychosocial wellbeing of its displaced populations through opportunities for creative expression and entertainment. SIARA 2020 received 242 nominations from 52 countries across Asia, Middle East and Africa.

>> Supporting the vulnerable across MENA, Eastern Europe, and South Asia

Taking forward its empowering work to shape a more humane, just, and inclusive future for forcibly displaced and vulnerable populations worldwide, TBHF supported humanitarian projects in Kenya, Pakistan, and Jordan to advance healthcare, education, vocational training, and empowerment of women.

TBHF funded projects in Kenya to the tune of Dh5.3 million and Dh551,700 in Jordan. It also allocated Dh8.4 million for projects in Pakistan that included establishing computer and English language labs for elementary as well as high schools, and community development centres in partnership with local and international entities.

TBHF projects in other countries included Palestine (Dh1,301,732); Nigeria (Dh212,519); Ethiopia (Dh300,408); India (Dh256,853); Bangladesh (Dh367,800) Iraq (Dh36,449); and Bosnia (Dh218,973). A sum of Dh1.6 million was allocated to support vulnerable families in the UAE.

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi